Tsang plea on chief executive
7/4/2005 8:17
Acting Chief Executive Donald Tsang announced yesterday that the Hong Kong
government has decided to submit a report to the State Council suggesting that
China's top legislature interpret the Basic Law concerning the term of office of
the new chief executive.
Tsang, also Administrative Secretary of the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), made the remarks at the Legislative
Council.
Tsang said he hopes that LegCo members and the community will
understand the consideration behind the decision of the HKSAR government to seek
an interpretation by the National People's Congress Standing Committee,
stressing this is a correct and necessary decision.
"We have made
arrangements for the Chief Executive's Office to submit the report to the State
Council," he said.
Tsang revealed that on March 12, the State Council
approved the request of Tung Chee Hwa to resign from the office of the chief
executive. Since then the post of the chief executive has been
vacant.
Article 53 of the Basic Law stipulates that, in the event that the
office of the chief executive becomes vacant, a new chief executive shall be
selected within six months in accordance with the provisions of Article 45 of
the Basic Law. Section 10 of the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (CEEO)
requires that Hong Kong shall hold the election on July 10.
Tsang said, "Our
position is that the term of office of the new chief executive shall be the
remainder of the term of the preceding chief
executive."
Xinhua
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